


The Call

by Orange_Coyote



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: But only a tiny bit, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Dialogue Heavy, Drabble, Feelings, Headcanon, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve answers, Swearing, Tony uses the phone, because it's a phone call, hence the friendship tag, i might add more to this someday, idk how to tag this, nothing romantic involved here sorry folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 11:04:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6801136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orange_Coyote/pseuds/Orange_Coyote
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony has almost picked up that phone various times. But something stopped him in each instance.<br/>This time he's all alone, with only that damn phone for company.<br/>Nothing can prevent him from making what is quite possibly a horrible decision.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Call

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MarthaDanielle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarthaDanielle/gifts).



Tony stared at the bulky flip phone laying innocently on his desk, mocking him with every second the clock ticked.

 

Steve and his reverence of things long past their prime -- Tony could have easily provided an untraceable Stark phone for each of them, but whatever -- had always been a pet peeve. The typewriter, the analog alarm clock, and the stacks of history books sitting unmoved within Steve's room of The Avengers Tower flitted before Tony's eyes unbidden.

 

_Stupid phone. Stupid Steve. Stupid promises._

 

Tony reached for the phone, pulling his arm back before his fingers could make contact with cold metal.

 

_Stupid doubt. Stupid indecision. Stupid feelings._

 

Tony sighed, one hand absent-mindedly running across his chest to stop just above where his heart thumped steadily. Nothing like the last time he had seen Steve. When his heart was racing and Rhodey could have died and  _why Steve why?_  Their little spat had essentially dissolved The Avengers, unless Steve's letter hadn't been polite bullshit but actual truth.

 

If Tony called, would Steve come? More importantly, was Tony ready and willing to set aside his pride and take the chance to find out?

 

 _I've never been known for making the smart decision,_  Tony thought bitterly. _Why start now?_

 

Before Tony could question his motives what chicken out for the hundredth time he grabbed the phone. It took only a minute To flip it open and dial the only number listed in the phone's contacts.

 

A number so highly encrypted that not even Friday could track it to a specific location. Tony wondered where Steve could possibly be hiding, but realized two weeks into endless recon attempts that he really didn't want to know. It was easier to swallow Steve's abandonment if Tony could imagine shitty living conditions for the country's former favorite superhero.

 

The dial tone rang twice in his ear before a distinct click signalled a connection.

 

"Hey, Tony."

 

Tony's breath caught in his throat. He nearly choked on it before thankfully swallowing it down. "Cap."

 

"Trouble in paradise?"

 

Tony couldn't resist a gruff chuckle bubbling from his lips. "Anything but."

 

Steve's voice sobered. "What's going on, Stark?" Tony instantly missed the teasing warmth of a second ago.

 

"Can't a man call his friend to check in?"

 

"I figured that ship had sailed."

 

"You wound me. Wait a second. Is that remorse I hear?"

 

"I don't regret a single thing I did, Tony. You oughta know that."

 

"You don't regret leaving?" _Leaving me,_  Tony meant but left unsaid.

 

"I don't like that our difference in opinion led where it led, but I don't regret doing what was right."

 

"You were wrong," Tony countered. "You only thought you were right."

 

"And that's what makes a man dangerous," Steve finished softly. "Yeah, I know."

 

"Why'd you do it?" There. The question that had stuck in Tony's mind since the moment Steve had refused to sign the accords has finally been let out into the open. 

 

The answer Steve gave was deceivingly simple.

 

"I had to."

 

Three little words to answer a question that had played Tony for months. Six letters in response to a question that humans have been asking one another since the beginning of time. "Why?"

 

"I don't expect you to understand."

 

"Try me." Tony wanted desperately to understand. Had they truly gone to war, destroyed an entire airport terminal for Christ's sake, for Bucky? For the right to choose? For freedom? Why? What for? How had it come to this?

 

"What if it had been Rhodes?"

 

Tony's mind stopped in a heartbeat.

 

"What if they had wanted your James instead of mine?" Steve continued.

 

"They wouldn't."

 

"If Rhodes had somehow been brainwashed into becoming a killing machine, and you had followed his tracks for _years_ hoping to rescue him. If the chance, the man himself, fell into your hands. Would you do anything and everything to save him? From the world. From himself."

 

"Stop."

 

"Or would you let him go? Turn him in to the authorities who have orders to shoot on sight?"

 

"I'd die first," Tony vowed. And he would. Without hesitation.

 

"Same here," Steve agreed. "Or, if that scenario isn't enough for you, imagine this: you're sitting in your car on your way to the office when Friday informs you of some plot of mass genocide going on. In, I don't know, let's say Nigeria. A village of innocent women and children and their elderly is about to be burned to the ground. But you can't do anything about it because that fancy UN panel of yours doesn't deem the situation dire enough. Happens all the time, they say. No need to intervene."

 

"That's ridiculous," Tony muttered.

 

"When I think of those accords, that's all I can imagine. All the people I wouldn't even have the chance to save." Steve sighed. "I never want to feel that powerless again."

 

"Maybe I see your point," Tony conceded reluctantly. "We're both stubborn idiots."

 

"Speak for yourself, Stark."

 

Tony laughed dryly. "Have I ever?"

 

Steve laughed in return, the mirth quickly draining from the moment as silence fell between them. After a tense two minutes, he asked again, "Why did you call, Tony?"

 

Tony mentally paged through the catalogue of available responses. Flirty, vague, misdirection, avoidance, an excuse, a blatant lie. The truth.

 

"Guess I wanted to know if you'd answer."

 

"For you?" Steve asked rhetorically. "Any time."

**Author's Note:**

> When I got home after leaving the theater I just HAD to write this.  
> Dedicated to Martha because she practically demanded it, which is really the main reason this drabble exists.  
> If you've seen the movie and want to talk about it, feel free! I love having more people to discuss it with. :)


End file.
